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During the process I switched back and forth between two brands of headphones and two sets of monitor speakers.

The speakers that you're listening can have dramatic effect when you're doing sound design mainly if you're not used to what the speakers sound like.

As an example at NAMM the PX-5S was running through a QSC system with K10s and subs. We made tweaks during the show until we got used to how the sounds were responding to in the sound system.

Twice during the show, Joe Sample played the PX-5S at a different location in the booth. Same type of sound system but very different speaker and sub placement. The subs were way too loud. Listen to the Joe Sample Wurly recording, you'll notice that it sounds thin and has no body. That's because there was way too much bass so we just rolled the low end out using the PX-5S EQ. It sounded great there, but the recording is not so good.

There are so many studio monitors these days. There are some great ones...of course you can spend more the price of the PX-5S on monitors. Which ones should you use??This is like saying which DAW should you use. I'd say, the one you're most used to.

I don't think they cost as much to build as you might think. But Casio is smart in that they spread their cost over many models and are able to offer them at lower price points because of this. If you look at the Privia line only, they use the same basic hardware like the keybed, samples, and sound chip in all their models. The differences are in the extras each model has. Most companies know how many units they need to sell to recoup their cost. Once they hit this number, the rest is profit.

If this piano is as great as it is, should it not be selling for $1500? Or even $2000? Or more? You don't want Casio to be selling itself short if it puts out a great product.

@adak - Don't give them ideas like this. Yeesh! It's not a $2K slab. $2K will buy a slab with escapement feel, 3-pedal support with partial pedaling, non-looped synthesized piano decay, multiple sampled pianos, 900+ quality sounds, in a sleek non-controversial case, etc. Anyways, the PX-5S will make an excellent $999 product, but I'm looking towards the PX-850 myself. Shame it doesn't have some of the PX-350's goodies, because there's no way I'm shelling out for an AP-650 without a massively serious discount.

Repeated question:can we have a 'normal' (no big verb) AP fragment as well, whenever you find the time ? Still curious about the dry AP sound in different styles (classic fast passages, classic slow passages, few jazz fragments - some nice pedaling techniques).

It is supposed to have the better incarnation of the AP Air engine, with full resonance effects etc. And perhaps some new tweaks to the piano presets. Wonder what it sounds like (solo)...it's still a stage 'piano' after all, despite all the extra new features and sounds.

Repeated question:can we have a 'normal' (no big verb) AP fragment as well, whenever you find the time ? Still curious about the dry AP sound in different styles (classic fast passages, classic slow passages, few jazz fragments - some nice pedaling techniques).

It is supposed to have the better incarnation of the AP Air engine, with full resonance effects etc. And perhaps some new tweaks to the piano presets. Wonder what it sounds like (solo)...it's still a stage 'piano' after all, despite all the extra new features and sounds.

Thanks.

Any piano without half pedalling is going to struggle, IMO. That was such a huge disappointment for me. My check was practically in the mail until I read that it still uses the old on/off pedal. I find it utterly baffling when all the other Privias have half pedalling. Why Casio? Why?!

We are at SXSW this week. Although a little primitive using a webcam we'll be streaming live from the Music Expo today and tomorrow from 12:00pm to 6:00pm Central. We did it yesterday and from what I understand the audio quality was decent. So if you have questions or these is something you'd like to hear, join the chat and type away.

I'm really thinking of getting the PX-5S but i have also looked at the PX-350(although never played one). Does anyone have any input comparing these two boards?

I'm mostly gonna be playing at home and some band situations and would like to have the built in speakers of the 350, though getting some monitors for the PX-5S would be an alternative. The PX-5S also seems really appealing with it's great control features.Will it be a good board for home use as well as stage?

Basically, you're getting Casio's best piano engine, with all resonance features activated, new and vastly improved electric piano tones and effects, plus a hex-layer synth section.

What you'll be missing is the half-pedaling feature, which will make it less appealing for more serious classical and jazz work, and no built-in music stand or speakers. So, apart from these absent features (for which there are workarounds), it will be just as good at home as on stage!

_________________________"you don't need to have been a rabbit in order to become a veterinarian"

Thanks for posting. Stephan De Reine just seems to be having so much fun improvising on the PX-5S! The overall sound is very pleasing and dynamic. The octave above middle C seems to suffer a little - which has long been noticeable in the Casio range (you can hear a slight "plinkiness" in single-note runs) - but measured against the fact that no DP is perfect at any price, it's no biggie, IMO. And the PX-5S has a lot more capability than many other stage pianos when you consider what else is available on-board.

_________________________"you don't need to have been a rabbit in order to become a veterinarian"

...The octave above middle C seems to suffer a little - which has long been noticeable in the Casio range (you can hear a slight "plinkiness" in single-note runs)

"Plinkiness" - that's the word I was looking for to describe it. No biggie indeed for stage use and certainly not in the light of the total package offered in this price range. But for more serious classical / subtle Jazz music I'm still not sure. Would have to try before buy (as always). Playing with the volume ADSR curve won't help much ; it's the sound itself that thins out pretty fast after the initial attack in the mid/high range, after which it rings on very nice and smooth for along while , but the initial phase misses some 'body' ; I think this is also what Voxpop means by plinkiness.

No Casio bashing - just honest personal judgement and again as a whole the PX5S is a very interesting beast that will please lots of people. Probably some AP presets will be more suitable for classical performance than others anyway. The "Dolce" is already a big difference (although some attack 'thinness' remains , compared to a high end SW or hardware DP).

If the PX can be tweaked enough to give the mid/high range attack a bit more (longer) substance that would help scratch off the last major difference to the more expensive competition in terms of AP sound. The PX has already a lot more to offer in the rest of the feature and sound set...

I wrote this on the other forum where you posted Nomadness...but this is relevant here too:

I'm deeply humbled that you pre-ordered the PX-5S. I admit, I was surprised to find out that we shipped some out a week earlier than I expected.

As I mentioned a few pages back in this thread we have have a firmware update coming. There are some significant new features but this update also gives me the opportunity to go back over the 100 Stage Settings and make some revisions. We're doing things like tweaking knob/slider assignments and other improvements like using the new toggle footswitch feature for rotary speaker effects and more.

It may be sooner but my estimate is about a week before the update is posted. The PC/Mac editors will follow shortly after.

We will be posting Stage Settings and other tones regularly but these will require the 1.10 update. They're not backwards compatible to 1.00. Anything you create however will be forward compatible to 1.10.

Hi Mike,Thanks for all your updates and info on this product. I pre ordered with guitar center, I was wondering if you already shipped to them as well. Haven't heard from them yet. Thank you for your time.

Hi Mike,Thanks for all your updates and info on this product. I pre ordered with guitar center, I was wondering if you already shipped to them as well. Haven't heard from them yet. Thank you for your time.

GC like many of our other accounts did pre-order the PX-5S. I don't however know how many existing orders they have vs how many we shipped them in this first shipment. I would suggest that you contact them directly.

Hello:Just wanted to let you all know that my PX-5S was just delivered. I haven't even opened it let but wanted to thank Mike Martin (like many have done before me) for being such a great ambassador for this product. I ordered my PX-5S the day I saw Mike's first demo online at NAMM which actually was the day after I bought a Steinway B piano. I would have thought that my GAS would have been satisfied for a while with the Steinway B...especially since it is my first full size grand...I already own 5 other baby grand pianos and a dozen or so MIDI controllers/keyboards including a Casio CDP-200R and a Casio PX-330, but Mike's enthusiasm and commitment to this product is so addicting that I had to order it sight unseen. Hats off to you Mike and Casio for coming so far since the first Casio CZ-101 I had some 30 years ago.

I should probably stop rambling here, throw some batteries into the PX-5S and the battery powered Roland KC-110 amp I just picked up for the 5S and go play some tunes out in the street or something....